Long Island Fishing Report- Fire Island Inlet and Great South Bay

I was free this weekend and took the opportunity to give some live bunker a swim around the Fire Island Inlet and surrounding area. Got up in a local creek that has been holding the baitfish before dawn and found it to be relatively quiet. As it began to get light the bait appeared and so did the boat traffic. At one point I counted 10 boats throwing nets and snag hook hoping to fill their live-wells. The traffic put the bait down making it difficult.

Moving out toward the mouth of creek away from the traffic I found a school I was able to get the castnet on and loaded up the livewell in a single shot. I love when that happens.

Arrived on the grounds just as the ebb was beginning to move. First few drifts over some favorite locations had bluefish biting the live baits in half before any striped bass could even get a look at them. Made a move hoping to get away from the bluefish but in each drop it was more of the same. Hungry blues made short work of the bunker as soon as the boat moved across the structure.

This was the story of the day as time after time I would feel a take and run before the line went slack and I reeled in the remains of what was a live bait. As the tide slowed I released the few bunker that remained in the safety of my live-well back into the bay and wished them well in their journey. I’m not sure just how well they may have fared.

Tight Lines.........
Capt Paul Mandella
captpaul@maybetonightcharters.com
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